In prior art U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,187 issued May 3, 1988 a rotary switch is disclosed having a common contact of tubular configuration with a plurality of circumaxially spaced openings for receiving a spherical ball element, the ball element achieving selective contact with each of several fixed contacts provided in circumaxially spaced relationship in the bottom wall of the generally cylindrically shaped cavity provided in the housing. The operating member defines a single recess for receiving the biasing means that urges the spherical element downwardly against the fixed contacts and radially inwardly against the tubular common contact.